Ataru grinned as he walked through the doors into the new Neptune Corporation building. His grin wavered a moment as he saw Sakura standing in the lobby, dressed in her priestess robes, and with her usual extremely serious business face on. She snapped shut the pocket watch she was holding and looked toward him. "One minute, fifty-three seconds... early," she nodded to herself.
"Ah, Ataru-san!"
Hearing the familiar calm intonation, Ataru turned toward its source. He froze, his eyes open wide.
Standing in front of him was Oyuki, only this time her appearance was different. Instead of her usual clothes, she was now wearing an Earth-style business suit. It consisted of a pale lavender jacket and knee-high skirt, with an orange blouse underneath the jacket. All in all, it gave the impression of an attractive yet sophisticated businesswoman. "It's so nice of you to aid in this ceremony."
“W-Wow,” Ataru could only mumble, surprised. “What… why?” was all he could say.
Oyuki briefly glanced down at her outfit. “You like it? I thought that if I am going to spend some time working in Earth, I should get acquainted with the fashion here,” she said as she flicked one of her hair bangs back.
"Enough of that," Sakura declared, tossing a bundle of cloth that Ataru caught just before it could slam into his face.
"I was just saying hello," Ataru commented as he looked over the bundle he had just caught. His memory quickly identified it as his own shrine worker’s outfit.
"With you it's never just hello." Sakura turned back to the small table covered with other ritual items.
"The men's bathroom is the third door down that corridor," Oyuki explained.
Ataru walked out of the restroom, adjusting his robes slightly. "Ok, time to do some exorcising," he chuckled as he walked back to the entryway where Sakura waited.
"Bell!" Sakura declared before he could make a sound of greetings. "There," she added, pointing to one particular window.
Shrugging in response, Ataru walked to the table, picked up the 3" high bell and carried it to the desired window.
"Stupid Ataru," Perm commented as he glared through the huge windows of the building. "Getting that job and getting so close to Miss Sakura."
"Well you gotta admit he’s pretty well behaved," one of the girls among the watchers responded. Her head moved sideways to follow the arc as Ataru was hurled across the room from where he had tried to feel up Sakura.
"Well behaved for Ataru," a second girl amended.
"Still, why did Ataru get that internship?” Perm groused again. "Why not me?" He watched as Ataru picked up the five hundred kilo mini shrine and carried it after Sakura and Oyuki into one of the other first floor rooms. "I could do that."
Those within hearing range stared at him blankly in response.
There was a ping and the elevator on the top floor opened. Inside Sakura looked out, nodding at the décor.
Oyuki took a step forward explaining, "My office is just..." She trailed off as Sakura held her hand before her, extending her gohei to hold the doors open.
"We'll need to wait," she explained, looking to the right. A minute passed, then from that direction there sounded a thump, then a series of slow ponderous footsteps. A second later a portable shrine moved into the space in front of the open doors.
"Not bad," Sakura commented as she pulled a small stick from her robes and smacked the metal bowl in the shrine, ringing it like a bell. After chanting a few words and ringing the bowl again, she called out. "That will do."
The shrine lifted again, and slowly inched back and to the sides before being set down again. A moment later Ataru stepped from behind the shrine, wiping his forehead quickly.
Oyuki looked from Ataru to Sakura, and quietly asked, "Miss Sakura, are you sure..."
Sakura grinned while raising a finger. "When it comes to endurance, I've learned never to underrate Moroboshi." She calmly stepped out of the elevator, and looked toward the large double doors just past the large empty desk. "Your office?"
"Ah, allow me," Oyuki said as she walked forward and pushed them open to reveal her large office. She waited as Sakura and Ataru entered, then shut the doors behind them. "And this is the final blessing for the building, correct?"
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(Posted Wed, 11 Mar 2009 04:02)
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